NH Representatives Respond to Phantom Congressional Districts

Adam Krauss at Foster's Daily Democrat has gotten reaction to this week's news of massive errors in the Recovery.org database from New Hampshire's two Representatives in Congress.

Matt Robison, chief of staff for Rep. Paul Hodes, D-Concord, said "there's no question that this was a serious mistake and an example of sloppy record-keeping by the administration and Paul Hodes believes we need real answers and an accurate picture of the situation that working families are facing."

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-Rochester, said the typos were discovered because of the "unprecedented level of transparency and disclosure" at Recovery.gov. "While it is unacceptable for Recovery.gov to have any typos, I am pleased that the administration is working to immediately correct them," she said.

No reaction yet from the Congressman from the mythical 4th, 6th, 27th, and 00th Districts.

Welcome to the NH Blogosphere

Adam Krauss has done a fine job covering New Hampshire politics for Foster's Daily Democrat. He wrote some outstanding stories on the revenue sharing debate in this year's budget. Now, he's started his posting political tidbits on a new blog called Soundings.

The bright side of a recession

Governor John Lynch discusses the silver lining of New Hampshire economic dark cloud with Foster's Daily Democrat.

Gov. John Lynch told editors and managers at Foster's Daily Democrat Monday, "I think there is a silver lining. I think we need to use this economic recession that we're in as an opportunity to streamline state government and make it more efficient."

The nature of government is such that it encourages the expansion of public services — whether they are needed or not and whether or not the people are asking for them. Government in the United States has become the antithesis of sound business practices. However, there are times when government is forced to take several steps back and impose efficiencies.

Lynch's recent confrontation with the state's employees unions resulted in something good for the people of New Hampshire. Some 250 positions were eliminated, contributing to the successful ability save the state about $25 million in labor costs, as mandated by the Legislature.

Mass. gambling push may force N.H.'s hand

Robert Cook reports in Foster's that backers of expanded gambling in New Hampshire are trying to beat Massachusetts to the table.

That argument has been part of the gambling debate in Concord for years, but Massachusetts hasn't previously been quite so close to rolling the dice.

Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Revere, in October named Massachusetts State Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill, the point person for developing a casino bill.

The legislation, which Bay State lawmakers could vote on as early as January, could allow slot machines at Boston-area race tracks, including Suffolk Downs, Wonderland Greyhound Park, Raynham Park and Plainridge Racecourse. Suffolk Downs also has publicly expressed an interest in getting a full casino license.

In what 'ballpark' did the crunchers of numbers play?

Foster's editorial page wants to know why the Governor is laying off 250 state workers, when he insisted that he'd have to fire 750 if the state contract was rejected.

Linda Hodgdon, the commissioner of Administrative Services, has been reported as saying initial projections were made without knowing whether employees would be willing to retire, what the potential was for moving employees paid from general fund monies and the effect of laying off "higher cost" employees.

If there were so many unknowns, so many questionable elements, why so much talk of laying off 750 employees?

"It was absolutely not a negotiating tactic," Hodgdon was quoted as saying last week. "It was a ballpark estimate" of employees earning about around $50,000 in salaries and benefits.

Now the situation stands at laying off 250 employees, demoting another 50 or 60 and not filling some 60 vacancies. Assumedly, some of the higher-paid employees will feel the cuts.

Apparently, the ballpark's fences were pulled in so the administration could hit more home runs with the loss of fewer players.

Layoffs are now the option of choice

Foster's is disappointed in the results of the State Employees Association vote on the proposed contract, and says layoffs are now the option of choice.

The State Employees Association rejected a fair contract brought forth by the state — one offering 19 unpaid furlough days instead of the state having to implement large-scale layoffs. The union's leaders recommended rejection of the contract and, on Monday, the general membership fell into lockstep with its leaders. The balloting split with 41 percent voting to accept the contract and 59 percent voting against it.

What do the SEA and the members who voted to reject the contract hope to gain from their action? While the employees represented by the SEA won't be forced to take the 19 days off without pay, a large number of them will lose their jobs. What is the SEA's next step, a search for a friendly judge to force a stay of the layoffs or a complaint to the National Labor Relations Board or some other act of desperation?

No square one in negotiations with the SEA

Foster's adds to the chorus of newspaper editorial pages backing the proposed state contract, and urging members of the State Employees Association to vote yes.

Sometime between now and Oct. 12, the SEA's general membership will vote on the contract the union leaders have rejected. But the ability to vote comes with a caveat, the stated recommendation of the leaders that the rank-and-file members, too, reject the offer.

Gov. Lynch has made reasonable offers to keep from having to lay off hundreds of state employees. The state has already realized savings with the closing of the Laconia State Prison and a school in Concord for children with behavioral problems. The two closings saw the elimination of about 200 state employment positions.

Negotiations have neared the edge of reason

Foster's shares its thoughts on the negotiations towards a new state employees' contract.

Union negotiators blinked, and the people of New Hampshire won.

Lynch never wanted to order layoffs. His preference all along has been structured furloughs for state employees — unpaid days off through the current biennium that will allow the state's 11,500 state employees to keep their jobs and most of their benefits. Under the terms of the initial tentative agreement, 18 days were to be furloughed by spring of next year.

The agreement reached on Friday adds a day to the furloughs. The furlough schedule includes 12 days on which government business is shut down — days similar to and including state holidays. Employees would choose when to take the other seven days.

State Supreme Court ready to rule on legality of tax caps

Foster's reports on the State Supreme Court taking up the question of tax caps in New Hampshire cities.

The state's highest court is set to rule on the legality of tax caps, possibly ending months of legal wrangling that has killed citizen petitions and jeopardized the spending limits in numerous Granite State communities.

On Tuesday, a Hillsborough County Superior Court judge recommended the state Supreme Court rule on a petition challenging the legality of a proposed tax cap in Manchester.

Keep Manchester Moving, an anti-tax cap group, filed the petition and is pushing for a Supreme Court decision to be reached by the November election.

Robert H. Foster devoted his life to family, newspaper and community

Foster's Daily Democrat remembers its publisher, Robert H. Foster, who passed away last night at the age of 88.

His history at the 136-year-old newspaper started with him joining his father in 1946 after returning from service with the U.S. Army in World War II. Bob was fond of telling the story... "the first day on the job I changed a 30-watt bulb to a 60-watt bulb. And when I got home that night I felt I had made a 100 percent improvement in the paper."

At that time the paper had a daily circulation of about 500 and was printed on an old flatbed press. The newspapers were distributed from a dilapidated building with aging facilities.

Through the 1960s to the 1990s, Bob Foster created a newspaper group with a reputation for quickly adapting to advancing publishing technology and having exceptionally strong local news content.

Furloughs or layoffs hinge on overtime?

Foster's offers their opinion on the breakdown in state contract negotiations.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

We are all in this together

When did overtime become an entitlement?

Contract negotiations between the state and the State Employees Association have broken down because of overtime demands.

The state is struggling to ensure a balanced budget during the next two years, while the SEA is insisting that there be 15 minutes of overtime a day for corrections officers.

What's it going to be, furloughs for state employees or the loss of 750 jobs?

Where does the overtime side dish fit into the meal? The union is arguing that the loss of 15 minutes of daily overtime hurts corrections officers more than other state employees.

Guaranteed overtime? It's an interesting concept; a ludicrous one, but an interesting one, nevertheless. (more)

NH House bill mandating paid sick days draws opposition

Robert Cook reports in Foster's on small business owners opposing proposed sick day mandates from Rep. Mary Stuart Gile.

If approved, it would require any New Hampshire business that employs at least 10 people to provide five paid sick days for their full- and part-time workers who have worked for a given company at least six months.

Gile said her bill is the result of recommendations made by a legislative work and family task force established in the fall 2007. She said paid sick days were among the recommendations the group made in November 2008 based on testimony from many New Hampshire businesses, workers and other groups.

Gile said the proposed measure would benefit the New Hampshire economy and families. But she understands why some businesses may have reservations.

Business owners offer benefits such as sick days and vacation in order to attract better employees. They are, and should not be, under any legal obligation to pay people to not work for them.

This bill is not only another example of Concord trying to tell New Hampshire business owners how they should run their businesses, but also of the way that bad ideas creep their way forward at the State House. Gile doesn't just present these new mandates as her own idea, but as a recommendation from a study committee. Who would say no to a study committee? It's purpose is just to gather information. And then when the stacked deck comes out in favor of higher taxes and more government, it's not the individual politician's fault. He's just following the recommnendations of the experts who studied this issue all summer.

Tomorrow, the Ways and Means Committee starts the study New Hampshire's tax structure. Any ideas on what they find?

What is Plan B in the scramble for $110 million?

Foster's editorial page asks what will happen if and when the state loses its appeal in the JUA Lawsuit.

Oct. 15 has been set as the date for oral arguments in the state's appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

If the appeal fails, Gov. John Lynch and the Legislature will have to begin turning over sofa cushions in an attempt to find $110 million in loose change.

The state's claim to a surplus in the malpractice fund sounds like an act of fiscal desperation. If the high court affirms the Superior Court ruling, hide the cookie jar and expect there will be raids on the diminished incomes of struggling men and women throughout the state.

Wait until the books are closed

As the latest Obama wealth redistribution program - Cash for Clunkers - stumbles to an end the Foster's Daily Democrat wonders about the program's long-term impact on the economy.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

The Obama administration's Cash for Clunkers program comes to an end Monday, but there are auto dealers throughout America who are wondering when they will be reimbursed.

It is not a case of "the check is the mail," but the president has pledged the dealers will "get their money."

Some dealers are worried they won't get their money, but Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood has pledged that dealers will get paid for the incentives.

Through Thursday, auto dealers have made deals worth $1.9 billion and there are expectations the program will exhaust the $3 billion Congress approved for it.

President Obama said in an interview Thursday, the program has been "successful beyond anybody's imagination." It's no wonder. The way in which the program was hyped by the administration, it was like saying the streets are lined with gold. (more)

Somersworth tax cap fight turns personal

Dover has a Tax Cap. Rochester does too. Now it's Somersworth's turn to debate the issue. And as Fosters Daily Democrat reports, the debate is getting personal.

Mayoral hopeful says voters' will tops need for legal opinion
By Jason Claffey
Tuesday, August 18, 2009

SOMERSWORTH — The first (pot)shot of the latest tax cap battle rang out inside City Hall Monday night, with a mayoral hopeful slamming a city councilor for wanting to seek a legal opinion on the cap's validity.

During a regular council meeting, prominent Seacoast lawyer Lincoln Soldati, who recently announced his intention to run for mayor, said he disagreed with Councilor Dana Hilliard's desire to get an opinion from the Strafford County Superior Court on whether or not the tax cap language is legal.

Hilliard made his proposal after Mayor Michael Micucci cited a March ruling by a Merrimack County Superior Court judge that a proposed tax cap in Concord was unconstitutional. In July, the Concord City Council voted to remove a tax cap question from the ballot.

Soldati argued the council shouldn't spend money on a legal opinion until after residents vote in the November election because it will be a "moot" issue if the cap is voted down. He added the public "ought to be heard" on the issue. (more)

Speaker's logic fails common sense test

The debate over cost-shifting continues in the Foster's Daily Democrat. Democrats in the NH Legislature claim their budget increased aid. The paper puts it like this - "The bottom line is that the state budget has forced local officials to play Twister with their budgets."

Monday, August 17, 2009

If N.H. House Speaker Terie Norelli and Sen. Maggie Hassan are correct — that the Legislature did not trim funding to cities and towns — why do those cities and towns think they did?

Case in point: Last week the speaker took Foster's to task for an Aug. 10 editorial, "Don't play the Concord Game."

That editorial discussed the loss of block grant money to cities and towns. Specifically noted was Dover's struggle to "fill a $600,000 gap in revenue."

In an editorial response published on Saturday, Aug. 15, the speaker took Foster's to task: "The editorial in Monday's Foster's Daily Democrat asserted that the state has 'piled a load of expenses' onto local communities and local taxpayers. This is simply not true."

The speaker then went on to point out how good a job the Legislature did in making "prudent choices," comments echoed in an earlier opinion piece by Sen. Hassan and published in Foster's.

What the speaker failed to address was Dover's non-shortfall shortfall in state funding of $600,000. Instead she changed the subject and defended the Legislature's decision to make cities and towns pay a greater share of retirement costs.

But as noted by Foster's before and here, isn't that cost shifting?

Well, approximately 155 of 193 municipalities and about half the school districts in New Hampshire think it is. Those are the numbers of expected participants in a lawsuit being mounted to challenge that decision. (more)

Part III: Where will the money come from?

Here's the third and final part of Foster's series on Health Care Reform.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

(Editor's note: The following is the last in a series of editorials that began Tuesday relating to President Obama's heath care reform effort.)

According to the politically neutral Congressional Budget office the current U.S. House version of health care reform will cost more than $1 trillion.

Supporters argue revenue/savings provision in the bill will substantially pay this tab. On the surface at least, they appear to be right.

An analysis by The Washington Post starts with a cost of $1.04 trillion. Subtract savings the bill calls for and that number reduces to about $8 billion. Subtract new taxes and other revenues levied by the bill and the total nets out at a $289 billion addition to the federal deficit.

But … and there are a lot of buts. (more)

Part II: Health care bill starts but doesn't end

Foster Daily Democrat continues its examination of Health Care Reform.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

(Editor's note: The following is one in a series of editorials relating to President Obama's heath care reform effort. The series began Tuesday.)

The health care proposal languishing in the U.S. House of Representatives is incomplete or at least schizophrenic

At moments it is clear and concise. At other times it is ambiguous and confusing.

An example of precision is found in the portion which details what has been termed “end-of-life” counseling. (more)

Foster's is Tweeting the Obama Town Hall Meeting

You can follow their updates on Twitter by searching for #obip.

Part I: Health care and the president

Foster's Daily Democrat points out a major reason why a majority of Americans do not support the Health Care 'Reform' coming out of Congress - what's in the legislation does not match the stated goals.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Editor’s note: The following is the first in a series of editorials relating to President Obama’s heath care reform effort.)

Linda Douglas, communications director the White House office of Health Reform, is asking the public for help in sorting fact from fiction in the ongoing health care reform debate.

With that in mind and President Obama slated to arrive in the Seacoast today, the goal here is to offer some constructive criticism.

First, there should be no debate that elements of the United State’s health care system and the costs associated with it need attention.

That said, current legislation working its way through the House and Senate offer a convoluted shotgun approach rather than a much-need surgical strike.
President Obama has laid out the tenants of what a reform package should accomplish. Agree or disagree with the specifics, he has stated his goals clearly and concisely.

However, just the opposite is true of health care legislation drafted in Congress.

After reading the much-debated and maligned House bill (yes, we read it), it is clear why Americans are upset and showing their displeasure at town hall meetings across the country.

Unlike the president’s call for transparency in government, this legislation is anything but. (more)